Red Dawn
by Robotkitty5848
Summary: Deerpaw doesn't feel like she belongs, but that changes when a rouge is brought into camp. Spiderpaw feels a connection to a cat that he shouldn't and it will test him. Sootpaw has chosen the life of a medicine cat, but he begins to question his choice as feelings develop. In the midst of their troubles comes a familiar danger, endangering everyone. (Sequel to Under the Willow)
1. Prologue

Trees shook their dark trunks as rain pelted to the ground, engulfing the forest to a drenched state. Lightning crackled as thunder boomed across the eerie night sky, clouds blocking any of the stars to be seen. The moon was thin as a claw, its light barely reaching the ground. From the shadows emerged a small ginger tom with tufted ears laying flat against his head. His silver gaze flashed as twotwo she-cats joined him, identical gray fur flattened by the rain.

"I don't know why Leaf has us meet here," the one with amber eyes whined. "Why couldn't she tell us at camp?"

"I don't know, Sky," the tom admitted. "But it seemed urgent. Like she doesn't want our boss to know."

"He hasn't been our leader as long as the one before him," Sky huffed. "He is just as bloodthirsty. Right, Rain?"

The other gray tabby nodded, blue eyes sharp compared to her twin's. "Honestly, he's more. All he cares about is death. But don't worry, Storm. One day you will become as violent as us."

"Of course, Rain," Storm shuffled his paws.

"You should be that way, already!"

They all turned to see the last cat they were waiting for, a sleek ginger she-cat with dark green eyes. They bowed their heads as soon as Leaf appeared before them.

"Yes!" Storm straightened up. "I'm getting stronger each day."

"Each day isn't good enough," Leaf huffed at him, claws threatening him silently. "If you aren't at your best, we will lose again. That goes to all of you."

"Agreed," Sky and Rain nodded in unison, looking concerned themselves.

"We will never run away like mice again!" Leaf shouted so that even the clouds could hear her. "We will ruin those who wrong us! It doesn't matter who we have to kill this time. Now, all of you go practice. I had brought you all here to discuss our next stategy, but not all of us are ready. But remember, my patience is thin."

"Yes," the others followed her orders, each going a different way. Leaf stayed back as her mind reminded her of their defeat. Each scar she had ached with revenge. She would turn all of their cats into killers. But what she didn't know was that her methods were watched by their leader, his blue gaze sharp as teeth. All it took was one mistake and she could be replaced.

* * *

ALLEGIANCES

ThunderClan

Leader: Bumblestar- Large pale ginger tom

Deputy: Ravenfeather- lithe black she-cat

Medicine Cat: Thornberry- white she-cat

Warriors:

Appletail- brown tabby she-cat with black stripes

Swiftfeather- scarred gray tom with black paws

Owlwing- brown tom with a white belly; Apprentice, Lilypaw

Snowpelt- beautiful white she-cat

Rainfall- small gray she-cat; Apprentice, Dewpaw

Smokefrost- big black tom

Redbreeze- ginger tom with tufted ears; Apprentice, Oatpaw

Whitefrost- white tom with black spots

Mousetail- brown tabby she-cat with black stripes

Sweetfang- white she-cat

Apprentices:

Lilypaw- tortoiseshell she-cat with tufted ears

Dewpaw- small white she-cat

Oatpaw- brown tabby she-cat with black stripes

Queens:

Willowleaf- brown spotted she-cat (Mother of Deerkit: light brown she-cat with a white-tipped tail, Spiderkit: ginger tom with a light brown belly, and Sootkit: thick-furred black tom)

Yellowflower- white she-cat

Elders:

Leopardclaw- golden tabby she-cat

Rabbitclaw- tortoiseshell she-cat

Brownfoot- heavily-scarred dark brown tom

* * *

ShadowClan

Leader: Foxstar- Ginger she-cat with a white-tipped tail; Apprentice, Hailpaw (ginger tabby she-cat)

Deputy: Frogleg- light brown tabby tom; Apprentice, Rockpaw (lithe black tom)

Medicine Cat: Smallwhisker- small brown tom

Warriors:

Poppyflower- dark ginger she-cat; Apprentice, Mosspaw (brown tabby she-cat with a white muzzle)

Softstripe- gray tabby she-cat

Blackpelt- black tom with white paws; Apprentice, Lizardpaw (brown tabby she-cat with usually long claws)

Cloudfur- soft white she-cat

Snakeheart- lithe white tom; Apprentice, Goosepaw (small gray tabby tom)

Tigertooth- ginger tom;

Nightfang- black tom

Featherfoot- gray she-cat

Queens:

Honeyfang- black she-cat with white spots

Elders:

Stormpool- gray tom with an unusually long tail

* * *

WindClan

Leader: Oakstar- brown tom with black ears

Deputy: Toadleap- huge dark brown tabby

Medicine Cat: Grassfrost- black she-cat; Apprentice, Petalfall (ginger she-cat)

Warriors:

Harewhisker- small brown she-cat

Breezefoot- lithe white tom; Apprentice, Littlepaw (small ginger she-cat with white spots)

Mistynose- light gray she-cat

Pineleaf- brown tabby tom

Milkflower- thick-furred white she-cat; Apprentice, Seedpaw (dark brown tabby tom with black paws)

Ashwhisker- light gray tom

Queens:

Daisytail- white she-cat

Elders:

Crowclaw- gray tabby tom

* * *

RiverClan

Leader: Otterstar- small white she-cat

Deputy: Robinfang- ginger she-cat with white paws; Apprentice, Lionpaw (golden tabby she-cat)

Medicine Cat: Fernleaf- black tom with a gray chest

Warriors:

Dawnheart- white tom

Trouttail- light brown tom

Thrushsong- black she-cat; Apprentice, Berrypaw (gray tom with white paws)

Duststorm- brown tabby tom with black stripes

Minnowclaw- tortoiseshell she-cat

Flamestripe- ginger tom; Apprentice, Russetpaw (dark ginger tom)

Queens:

Hazelpetal- thick-pelted white she-cat

Sunstorm- light ginger she-cat

Elders:

Antfur- white tom with gray ears


	2. Chapter 1

"Bet that you can't catch me!"

"Get back here, Spiderkit!" Deerkit's light brown fur was fluffed up as she chased her ginger-furred brother around the nursery, lightly shifting the moss as her paws pounded on the floor of the nursery. When she was a lot smaller, she thought that the nursery seemed like it would never end. But now that she was only a couple of moons to apprenticeship, she felt a little cramp. This was apparent as she almost hit the wall, turning to avoid it. But she had stumbled into Yellowflower's nest.

The white queen lifted her head from the moss to give Deerkit and Spiderkit a scorn as she hissed, "Can't you two play that roughly outside? You've grown too much to play around like that!"

"Yes, Yellowflower," Deerkit paused under the queen's sharp yellow gaze, her brother being a bit slower to stop as well. "We didn't mean to disturb you, I swear."

"Willowleaf said we can't go outside while she's asleep," Spiderkit whined, blue eyes begging to keep playing. "She sleeps too long. It's always way past sunhigh when she wakes up."

"I'm sure you can wait," Yellowflower sighed, laying herself back down. "I've been up all night in Thornberry's den, so I appreciate not being woken up again. Sootkit's still asleep."

"Sootkit's boring," Spiderkit muttered to Deerkit as they made their way back to their nest. But fortunately for them, Willowleaf had woken up, cleaning herself as Sootkit asked her a bunch of questions. And he really did ask their mother a lot of them. Spiderkit would often complain about that, but Deerkit herself didn't mind. Sootkit had always been the most cautious of the three of them, more delicate than most toms his age. But the thick-furred black tom seemed happy.

"So why do RiverClan cats swim? Is it only for food? And how do they hunt in leaf-bare?" Sootkit's green orbs glowed with curiousity.

"RiverClan has always swam," Willowleaf shook a paw as the brown-spotted queen adjusted herself after a quick cleaning. "They do it to survive since they mostly eat fish. I know of a RiverClan cat who loves swimming in leaf-bare. Her name is Hazelpetal. Luckily for her, she has a thick white pelt. It takes some of her clanmates quicker to get soaked."

"She has a thick coat like me," Sootkit gleamed. "Does this mean that I'd be able to swim."

"You might," Willowleaf licked the top of his head, green eyes proud. The green eyes that Deerkit had gained. "But you are a ThunderClan cat. We don't really use the river all that much. But I guess it could be good for you and your siblings to learn to swim." The queen noticed Deerkit and Spiderkit with a sigh. "Let me guess. You two woke up poor Yellowflower again?"

"Maybe," Spiderkit licked a paw. "But I can't helped it. This den is so small."

"I guess I can let you two outside," Willowleaf nudged at Sootkit. "You too, dear."

"Will you come with me?" Sootkit gave his mother wide eyes, tilting his head in the way that he knew that his mother liked. Deerkit shook her head a bit at his antics. She could see that he was a little too attached to their mother. But she couldn't blame him. He was a little bit smaller than them.

"You can go with your siblings," she shook her head. "But be sure to stay in camp. ALL of you."

"Ok."

"Sure."

Deerkit nodded a bit as she made her way into the camp. It was so bright out that she had to stop to let herself adjust. It was really hectic when she stumbled out of the nursery for the first time. She never knew that she'd grow to enjoy the gentle sight of her Clanmates. There were a lot of cats that she had to meet. It made her feel a bit overwhelmed. She still had to recognize all the scents.

She could make out the black and white pelt of Whitefrost making his way into the medicine den. The tom seemed to be limping a little, blue eyes flinching every few heartbeats. She had been taught about the medicine den from her mother. She had been told tales of Thornberry's bravery as she helped out her Clan the best way she could. The blue-eyed white medicine cat always brought the kits feathers every couple of moons.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Snowpelt and Mousetail sharing tongues, the older white she-cat offering the rest of a rabbit to the much younger brown tabby, a happy exchange between the green and blue-eyed she-cats. Rainfall's own green gaze was friendly as the small gray she-cat padded over to them, a thrush held between her jaws. Near them Swiftfeather was relaxing in the soothing sunlight, his gray fur ruffling in the slight wind. Deerkit couldn't help staring at the scars scattered along his pelt, a particular nasty scar across his face. He had lost his left eye in a terrible battle moons before she was born. But his remaining blue eye seemed fine.

"Move it," Spiderkit grumbled. "You're standing in front of the nursery like a lost mouse."

"Sorry," she sighed. "Where were we going again?"

"The elders den," Spiderkit licked his lips. "The second hunting patrol isn't back yet, but the elders might share some of their food with us if we beg enough."

"And they can tell us stories," Sootkit nodded. "I love Leopardclaw's stories! She must have been the best warrior when she was younger!"

"That would have been moons ago," Spiderkit puffed out his chest. "But I will be the strongest warrior one day. I'll impress the Clan so much, I'll skip past warrior and go straight to deputy."

"That's flea-brained," Deerkit rolled her eyes. "You would need an apprentice first."

"You're right," he remember, his fur fluffing back down, but the gleam never leaving his face. "But I'll wait however long it takes. Hopefully I'll be able to earn my way to deputy before Ravenfeather dies."

"And hedgehogs will fly."

* * *

Deerkit felt a bit of relief at how much bigger the elder's den was than the nursery. The moss saw glistening as if still a little bit wet, but not enough to make the elders cranky. Dewpaw must have cleaned the den because the small blue-eyed white apprentice was sitting in front of the three elders, a rabbit shared between the four cats. Spiderkit stared at it, his stomach alerted the others of their entrance.

"Hello there," Brownfoot nodded at them, his battle-scarred brown fur ruffled against the bark of their den. His green glance was friendly as he beckoned them to sit. Rabbitclaw lightly waved a paw, the tortoiseshell seeming tired, as if she had been unable to sleep. Her green debts gave that away as she let out a small yawn. The last elder, Leopardclaw shifted in her nest, amber eyes bright as she noticed them.

"Perfect, you two are here to hear about Leafstorm," the golden tabby she-cat purred. "Leafstorm had been a great cat, always having such a bright attitude, no matter how tedious the task was. They say that she would even be able to wrap twolegs around her tail. It's a pity that she had died too young."

"How did she die?" Dewpaw asked, her tail fluffed out a little. "I never got to hear about her before."

"She had been killed by rouges," Brownfoot spoke up, his gaze darkening as memories flooded through him. "It was the same rouges that had crippled me. They were known as Frost. And they were very vicious."

"It was a bad time for the Clan," Rabbitclaw winced at her own dark thought. "They had taken the life of my daughter, Moonfur. I'm sure she would have been proud to meet you all, being your kin."

"Our fathers are her brothers," Deerkit remembered. "Redbreeze would talk about her a lot."

"Same with Whitefrost," Dewpaw reminisced. "It's a real pity that I never got the chance to train with her. I'm told that she looks just like Lilypaw!"

"She almost looks like her twin," Rabbitclaw sighed. "Sometimes whenever I see her, all I see is Moonfur."

Deerkit felt a stab of pity towards the elder and her own father. Moonfur's death must have been so terrible for them. She'd be lost if she lost her brothers or parents. She had heard how brave warriors were, having the strength to protect their loved ones. Would she ever have that strength? Having the whole Clan rely on her for safety? She would make sure to keep them protected. She was excited. The sooner she was an apprentice the better.


	3. Chapter 2

"I remember when Spiderwhisker finally got his name for the first time," Brownfoot told Spiderkit, Deerkit, Sootkit, and Dewpaw, the brown tom's gaze saddening at the thought of his former apprentice. "I've never been so proud of him until that moment. There's nothing more delightful than seeing the small apprentice that you start with becoming a brave and thoughtful warrior. I'm sure Appletail felt the same way when I got my name."

"I can't wait for my name," Dewpaw's eyes were bright, her fluffy white tail wiggling back and forth in excitement. "I wonder what I'll be called. I just don't want to get my hopes to high and get used to one name and get called another."

"And what do you want to be called?" Leopardclaw purred. "There's nothing wrong with having ideas about what your name will be. It is what you are going to be called for the rest of your life."

"I want to be Dewfrost," the apprentice purred. "I look just like Whitefrost and I'm proud of it."

 _Spiderbreeze or Spiderleaf?_

Spiderkit shook his head at the ideas. He hoped that Bumblestar wouldn't just choose those names because he couldn't think of anything good for him. It wouldn't make him feel special. He had heard that he was named after Spiderwhisker, a fallen warrior.

"That's sweet of you dear," Rabbitclaw licked her paw as Deerkit, Sootkit, and Dewpaw asked her more questions, Spiderkit starting to become uninterested. He didn't really plan on spending the whole day listening to stories. He could see that his siblings wanted to, but not him. Making sure to be completely quiet, he slid his way out of the den, his tail bristling slightly. He let out a sigh as soon as he was out, making his way over to the fresh-kill pile.

"You be careful now, Spiderkit."

The ginger tom turned to see Appletail watching him, the brown tabby's black stripes shining under the sun's light as the green-eyed she-cat sat with Smokefrost, a black tom with amber eyes. He looked so much bigger than the she-cat, despite her being moons older than him.

"I am," he nodded to her. "I just wanted a mouse."

"Take as much as you'd like, dear. There's plenty to go around. The hunting patrol should be back soon."

"Let's hope they brought some moss with them," Smokefrost huffed. "This heat is started to get on my nerves. It must be even hotter than last greenleaf. Let's hope no cat gets sick from it."

"And that the river stays plentiful," Appletail mused. "I remember the greenleaf where the river dried out for moons. We lost a queen and a couple of apprentices to drought. I'd hate for that to happen again."

"I don't know how RiverClan could adjust to that. All they eat is fish."

Spiderkit's fur ruffled a bit as the gorse tunnel shook, signaling that the hunting patrol had returned.

First came Owlwing, a brown tom with a white belly and soft amber eyes. His apprentice, Lilypaw, a tortoiseshell with tufted ears and amber eyes as well, was holding two mice and a plump thrush in her jaws. The warrior carried two voles and a mouse. Next was the all white Sweetfang, holding onto a giant rabbit. The blue-eyed she-cat huffed a bit. She had a cough a couple of nights ago and must still be recovering.

Spiderkit rolled his eyes at the next cat who came in, a squirrel in her jaws, green eyes filled with contempt. Oatpaw was a brown tabby with black stripes like Appletail, but had none of her wisdom or kindness. Oatpaw was the most irritating she-cat in all the Clans, being rude to most cats as if she were already a warrior. She had a knack for ordering around him and his siblings since she was older. And of course she just _had_ to have his father as a mentor, making Spiderkit jealous. Redbreeze was the best fighter in the Clan and he had hoped that Bumblestar gave him his father as a mentor. Who else could teach him to be the best?

His father finally returned to camp, letting the others lead on as the ginger tom held two blackbirds, placing them on the fresh-kill pile. He ordered Oatpaw to give the squirrel to the queens before making his way over to Spiderkit.

"You're back!" Spiderkit purred up at him. "Can you play with me? I'm bored. Since I can't leave camp until I'm a 'paw."

"Where are Sootkit and Deerkit?"

"With the elders. But I don't wanna listen to cute stories. Will you teach me a battle move?"

Redbreeze twitched an ear, "You should learn to stay with your siblings like your mother always tells you, Spiderkit. And your mentor will teach you battle techniques."

"But you're the best fighter! No other cat is as good in battle as you. Some cats say that you're even faster than a WindClan cat!"

Redbreeze's blue gaze softened a bit, "You remind me of myself when I was a kit. I couldn't wait to learn to fight. But I did wait. I wasn't as needed as a fighter then, our Clan full of great warriors. There will come a time when you are needed. But enjoy your easy life as a kit. It'll be over faster than you think."

Spiderkit's tail twitched, but he nodded as he realized that his father was right. He couldn't wait to be able to protect his Clanmates with teeth and claws. No cat would dare try to attack his family.

"Hey, Redbreeze! Are you taking me to train?"

Oatpaw's voice cut in as the tabby stepped between them, making Spiderkit back up with a light hiss. It's like she didn't even notice he was here.

"Yes, get Rainfall and meet me there," Redbreeze brushed Spiderkit's flank with his tail. "Why don't you go get Dewpaw from the elders den and go back to your siblings?"

"Alright," Spiderkit kept his tail down as Oatpaw gloated at him.

 _Annoying furball!_


	4. Chapter 3

Sootkit watched his brother and sister run over to the warriors' den, both of them trying to sneak a look inside for their father's sleeping form. Sootkit didn't want to wake up Redbreeze, knowing how cranky their father was at dawn. He didn't even want to sneak out, being happily comfortable near Willowleaf. He knew that he wouldn't be able to be with her all the time as an apprentice, so he wanted to spend time her as much as he could. She was safety and warmth.

"Hey, aren't you coming with us, Sootkit?"

The black-furred kit shook his head as Deerkit stopped to look back at him, his brown-furred sister lifting a paw slightly.

"Nah, I don't really feel like it."

"Oh, just let him go, Deerkit," Spiderkit huffed from his spot near the den. "He's no fun anyways. See you back at the den, Sootkit. Hopefully once you're an apprentice, you'll actually know what fun is."

Sootkit backed up a bit as Deerkit made her way over to their brother, whispering something into his ear, making Spiderkit roll his eyes and turn his back. Deerkit flashed him a look of apology as she joined him into the bushes. Sootkit let out a small sigh as he made his siblings leave him yet again. He had a strong feeling that Spiderkit didn't even care about him. Deerkit was nice to him, but she was closer to Spiderkit than him. He wanted his siblings to like him, but it didn't seem to be working. He remembered what his mother had always told him.

 _Your siblings do care about you. You'll see. They'll help you out whenever you need them the most. Just ask your father. He and his sister would fight with each other a whole lot._

He hoped that Willowleaf was right, knowing that his mother would say whatever could make him feel better. But what if she was wrong? Not wanting to let it stay in his mind all morning, he headed over to the medicine cat den.

Just the soft whiff of herbs made him feel calm as he got closer, curious to see what Thornberry was up to. He knew that the gentle she-cat wouldn't be upset to see him in her den. He visited her often, mesmerized by how knowledgeable she was with plants. It was as if she had a solution to any cut or scratch. And she had a special connection to StarClan, one that few cats in the Clan did. If he became her apprentice would the stars talk with him as well? What prophecies could they send him? Would he be able to stop a war?

"You can come in, Sootkit."

Sootkit jumped back a little as Thornberry emerged from her den, a light look in her blue eyes. "I could smell you from a fox-length away. I assume that you want to watch me work?"

Sootkit nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed at easily she could catch his scent. She was always able to tell, quick as an adder. Luckily the white she-cat was kind. He was sure that any other cat would get tired of him. But not Thornberry. She always let him in her den with open paws. So he sat down by her as she assorted herbs. He had learned a couple of them by watching her apply them to different cats.

"That's borage," Sootkit spoke up as Thornberry placed her paws on a bunch of small blue flowers. "You gave that to Willowleaf when we were a lot younger and she didn't have much milk."

"Very good, Sootkit. You have a great memory. And this?" She held up a small leafy bundle and let him get a good smell of it. "I believe I've showed you this a whole lot."

"Catmint, which is good for greencough."

"Very good. You're a smart cat."

"You think so," his spirit was lifted as she praised him. "Do you think I'd be a good medicine cat?"

"You'd be a great medicine cat," Thornberry licked the top of his head. "I'm not that old just yet, but it could be a good idea to have an apprentice myself. And what if I got too sick? What do you say, Sootkit? Do you want to be my apprentice."

"Yes," he nodded again. "I don't really want to fight."

"I'd still have to teach you some moves," she warned. "What if a fox or dog attacked you when you looked for herbs and have no warrior around you? No training would leave the Clan without a medicine cat. You'd be important."

"Are you going to ask Bumblestar?"

"Of course, he'd have to know. But don't worry about a thing. He would approve. I think I saw him talking with Redbreeze about it."

"Thornberry!"

Both cats looked up as another cat limped into the den, her gray fur still slightly dripping with precipitation. Rainfall shook out her fur a little as she stopped in front of the medicine cat.

"What happened, Rainfall? You don't seem to have any scratches."

"I was hunting in the woods and must have stepped on a thorn. It's not too infected is it?"

"Is that all? Let me see."

Rainfall lifted a paw, flinching a little as Thornberry inspected it, noticing Sootkit at the same time, "Are you injured too?"

"He's just watching."

"I see. He seems pretty interested. Maybe he wants to see you help me with this."

"Something like that," Thornberry mused. "It doesn't look too bad since the thorn doesn't seem very big. But that never compares to how deep in the thorn is. I'll give you some chervil for it. Sootkit, do you mind getting the thorn out for me while I look for chervil."

"Me?" he felt a bit nervous as Rainfall moved her paw from the medicine cat to him. "I just lick until I find it and then pull?"

"Yes," Thornberry gave him an reassuring look. "You're smaller so you should be able to find it better."

Feeling a bit more confident he licked Rainfall's paw until he felt the rough feeling of the thorn. He gripped his teeth around it, pulling slowly to make sure that he was careful. He knew that it would bleed, but he didn't want it to cause more blood. Once it was free, Rainfall immediantely started licking her paw. When Thornberry placed the pulp on it, using a few cobwebs to stop the bleeding. Sootkit felt impressed at how much Thornberry knew.

* * *

Sootkit grabbed a small mouse from the fresh-kill pile, feeling hungry from sitting in the medicine cat den for a while. Not that many cats came in, so Thornberry had gone outside of camp to search for mint, since her supply of it was surprisingly low. He had wanted to go with her, but wasn't old enough. He knew he'd be apprenticed soon, being five moons already. Luckily he didn't have to worry about getting a mentor who didn't like him.

"Looks like you're going to be the next medicine cat. I know you'll do well."

He turned to see that Bumblestar had left his den to talk with him. The large pale ginger tom's green gaze was gentle as he looked him over. He was intimidating compared to Sootkit's small frame.

"Thank you."

"Your parents are strong, brave warriors. I thought that you'd follow in their paws, but I can see that you're following a different path in life. But don't get me wrong. The path of a medicine cat is one to be proud of. The Clan will depend on you."

"I'll try my best."

"You always have. You could have made a good warrior, but I'm pretty sure that I couldn't change your mind. That's not why I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to congratulate you. You'll be my medicine cat one day."

"Bumblestar."

Ravenfeather got in the middle of their conversation, the lithe black she-cat waving her leader over. "It's about RiverClan. Our patrol caught a lot more RiverClan scent on the rocks than usual. Any plans?"

"Greenleaf has made them greedy," Bumblestar sighed. "Send a small patrol to remark the borders again. If you see any RiverClan cats don't attack them. We wouldn't want to be the first ones to cause trouble. But we need to show them that we won't be pushed around."

"Alright," the deputy's yellow gaze was wary as she went over to where Owlwing and Whitefrost were talking with Snowpelt, Lilypaw pacing around her mentor, tail lifted. They headed out together. Sootkit hoped that nothing bad would happen to their patrol.

* * *

 **Author's Note- With every cat introduced now, I have two questions.**

 **1\. Which cat from Under the Willow should get more attention in this fic?**

 **2\. Which of Willowleaf's kits do you like the best so far? Deerkit, Spiderkit, or Sootkit?**


	5. Chapter 4

Deerpaw felt a flash of pride as she followed Snowpelt, her mentor's white pelt standing out in the reds and greens of leaf-fall. She was thankful for her light brown pelt. She would have a much better time hiding from her prey than her mentor. But Snowpelt was a smart cat. Deerpaw had only been the gentle she-cat's apprentice for a moon, but she already had her respect. She didn't rush into battle without a second thought and wasn't harsh at all. Deerpaw had been so nervous during her apprentice ceremony. Sootpaw had already decided to become Thornberry's apprentice, so he didn't have to go through the anxiety of finding out who was going to train him. It was Spiderpaw that she didn't envy.

Her brother had Sweetfang as his mentor, a fact that he wasn't happy with. She recalled the way he had glared at the white she-cat, as if he didn't think she was even worthy of training him. Every apprentice knew about Sweetfang's sharp tongue and fierce temper. She wasn't a cat that Deerpaw would want to fight in battle. But she felt a bit sorry for her. Her mother had told her about Sweetfang's father. He had ended up being a traitor, even threatening to kill Willowleaf. But he had been stopped and slaughtered. How could any cat deal with their parent betraying their Clan and not get grumpy? But she hoped that her brother would understand.

"It's so cold lately," she let out a small yawn as she padded closer to Redbreeze, her father taking the lead of their small patrol. The ginger tom seemed to be exhausted as well, his tail close to trailing the ground. He had been on the patrol at dusk to investigate a fox's den that had been spotted on their territory. Luckily all fox scents had been stale.

"It'll only get colder when leaf-bare arrives," Redbreeze warned his daughter. "But luckily you got Willowleaf's thick pelt so you should be fine."

"I just hope that it's a shorter leaf-bare than last time," Appletail flicked the tip of her tail in annoyance. "And that no cat catches greencough. Luckily we didn't lose any queens or kits."

"But Frost did take some of our warriors," Snowpelt reminded her with a sad look.

"We don't have to deal with them now," Redbreeze growled. "We shouldn't have let any of them escape. They deserve to pay for the lives that they took."

"Just because the rouges kill, doesn't mean we should," Snowpelt snarled back at him. "If we followed their example, we'd lose our honor!"

"They are cold-blooded killers. If we don't kill them, they might slaughter more cats."

"We did all that we could. StarClan understands that."

"I'm bored," Oatpaw whispered to Deerpaw, being the last cat in the patrol. "I don't really care for cats I've never seen and never will see. That dumb bunch of rouges must have learned their lesson and won't mess with us again. Our mentors need to stop worrying so much."

"What if they came back?" Deerpaw gave the other apprentice a worried glance.

"ThunderClan would give them a beating they won't forget," the brown tabby she-cat rolled her eyes. "You worry too much, Deerpaw. They wouldn't get past me anyways."

"You've only been an apprentice for a few moons."

"I'm better at fighting then you!"

"Now, you two," Redbreeze slid between them, stopping their little arguement. "No need to get aggressive. You'll both be great warriors. And Frost won't be coming back. They wouldn't have the guts."

"I guess," Deerpaw's ears felt hot in embarrassment, while Oatpaw looked away with a small huff, the fur on her tail flattening as she calmed down.

"Hmph!"

"Don't worry, Redbreeze," Appletail purred at the apprentices. "They're young. Eventually they will turn that energy into ambition and passion. Besides, I remember a short tempered ginger tom who seemed to enjoy getting into fights. Especially with a certain spotted brown she-cat."

"I was young and foolish then," he quickened his pace so that he was back to being the leader of their patrol. "But I grew out of that stage of my life."

"They will too," Snowpelt sighed. "We're close to the border now. We need to keep quiet to be able to watch out for a RiverClan patrol. They've seemed pretty tense this whole moon."

The ThunderClan cats went silent as they remarked the border, keeping their ears perked for any sign of danger. Claws slid out and noses sniffed, letting their sense of smell take over. Deerpaw and Oatpaw were keeping close to their mentors, so they felt a bit more secure when they saw movement from the distance.

"Just our luck," Redbreeze sighed as three RiverClan cats padded over to them, their ears and tails lowered. Deerpaw could see that one of the cats was smaller than the other two, her golden tabby pelt still kit-soft. She relaxed a little as she realized who the other she-cat was; the RiverClan's deputy, Robinfang. The gentle ginger she-cat stopped at the border, her fur fluffed.

"ThunderClan cats at the border again?" she asked with distaste in her tone. "You've been bordering this territory a lot more than usual."

"Just keeping ourselves prepared," Snowpelt kept her tone calm, but Deerpaw noticed the fur on her tail was starting to stand up slowly. "You never know when some cat goes where they don't belong."

"And we are doing the same," the last RiverClan cat hissed, his black pelt ruffled as he barred his teeth. "You never knew when ThunderClan will break the code again. Like how you practically starved ShadowClan."

"We did not starve ShadowClan, Thrushsong," Redbreeze spat at the other tom, his hackles raised. "What happens between our Clan and ShadowClan is none of RiverClan's business."

"It is when you ThunderClan cats think that you can control the whole forest."

"Says the cats trying to control the entire river and areas around them," Oatpaw cut in, glaring at the much older cats. Deerpaw noticed how the usually confident apprentice was almost shaking a little.

"Keep out of it, apprentice," Robinfang turned her glare to the brown tabby. "Do your apprentices not know how to show some respect to deputies? Little Lionpaw here knows."

Lionpaw ducked behind Thrushsong, the golden tabby not seeming to like the attention suddenly being on her. Clearly this was a cat that didn't seem to enjoy fighting that much. At least yet.

"How about you keep out of our territory?" Appletail's usually warm voice turned as cold as ice when she addressed the RiverClan cats. "Let's go. The border has been remarked and now is not the time to start a fight."

"Fine," Redbreeze kept his eyes on the enemy as he and the others followed the brown tabby she-cat back to camp. Deerpaw kept quiet on the way home, not liking the gleam in the RiverClan cats' eyes. She knew a fight was coming but would she even be ready for one with only one moon of training? She felt a shiver go down her spine.

"I could have taken that RiverClan tom," Oatpaw whispered to her. "We can't let RiverClan go that easily."

"That's up to Bumblestar," Deerpaw sighed. "I hope it doesn't lead to a war. Not so close to leaf-bare. We need all the strength we can get to get through it." It was what Willowleaf had told her. Deerpaw couldn't help but be worried about the upcoming moons.


	6. Chapter 5

Spiderpaw was disappointed that neither of his parents had been announced to go to the Gathering, having to stick with his mentor the whole way there. He glared at Sweetfang. Even after being her apprentice for a moon and a half, he still didn't like her. He didn't think that she was worthy of training him at all. Surely Bumblestar should have chosen a cat who had been a warrior for longer. Her sharp tongue didn't help matters either. She would scold him for every single mistake that he made.

"Remember to be careful what you tell any of the other cats," Sweetfang hissed at him softly as ThunderClan made their way to Fourtrees, keeping their patrol silent for the most part. Bumblestar had brought Ravenfeather, Thornberry, Snowpelt, Appletail, Mousetail, Whitefrost, Yellowflower, and Brownfoot. Sootpaw and Deerpaw stuck to their mentors. With RiverClan increasing the amount of patrols, they had to be careful. Spiderpaw could tell that Bumblestar was going to discuss the problem with Otterstar. Spiderpaw heard that the small white RiverClan leader was not usually one to start conflicts over nothing. But was something going on with her Clan? Could they solve whatever's bothering them without trespassing?

"I know. Never let them know our secrets," he sighed. "That's fine with me. I know that while the truce lasts for a night, I might have to battle with any cat I speak with. I don't need friends in another Clan."

"You should at least be polite if you can. I don't want the other Clans to think that all of our apprentices are disrespectful. You're also my first apprentice, so it'd look bad on me. Just be nice and smart."

"Fine," he rolled his eyes as Fourtrees loamed before him, the ancient oaks alive with cats as the other three Clans merged, cats going off from the big groups to speak with their friends on full moons. The amount of cats would have bothered any other new apprentice, but Spiderpaw could handle it. He could handle the camp just fine, even if these new faces could be his enemies tomorrow.

He noticed Yellowflower make her way over to a white RiverClan queen, the other cat's belly looking as though she would have her kits any day now. A brown tabby tom with black stripes walked beside her, pride in his eyes showing that he was the father. He recalled his mother telling his brother about a queen named Hazelpetal.

"I bet you and Duststorm are proud," Yellowflower let out a soft purr at the two. "You two must be excited about having a litter of kits to play with.

"Of course," Duststorm puffed out his chest. "New warriors for our Clan. I'm sure they'll have some competition when your kits become apprentices."

"Swiftfeather and I can't wait."

Not wanting to be spotted easedropping on their conversation, Spiderpaw glanced around at all of the different cats. He spotted Ravenfeather joining the other deputies with a quick nod as she entered a discussion with Frogleg. The light brown tabby of ShadowClan was keeping his voice low, his eyes wary. Next to him sat Robinfang, the whitefooted ginger she-cat glaring at ThunderClan, still upset about that spat at the border. He wish he could have been there in case there was a fight. He observed the last cat, a huge dark brown tabby tom. He was WindClan's deputy Toadleap. He had a scar right across his nose, and had the longest whiskers that he had ever seen. He made sure to study all of the deputies, as he hoped to join them eventually.

He glanced back at his siblings to see that they had ignored him and went on their own, Sootpaw sticking to Thornberry's side like a twig. That brother of his was so weird. Wanting to be medicine cat and not a warrior like him and Deerpaw?

Deerpaw had joined three apprentices, two from RiverClan and one from WindClan. They looked much bigger than her, almost overwhelming her. But they all had their tails in the air, so Spiderpaw knew she would be fine. He tried to find some of the other apprentices and caught the whiff of ShadowClan as he saw two of the small cats to speak with.

Both apprentice looked up as he approached, keeping their eyes focus on him, taking in his small frame. They both relaxed, looking around the same age as him. They must have been newly apprenticed like him. The tom was black and white with green eyes. The she-cat had all black fur and the softest amber eyes he had seen. For a couple of heartbeats he couldn't find anything to say as this ShadowClan cat stared at him with curiousity. Clearing his throat, and hoping they wouldn't notice how warm his ears felt, he spoke up.

"Hey, I've never seen you two before. I'm only been an apprentice for about a moon. My name's Spiderpaw. What about you two?"

"We've been apprentices for about three days," the tom licked a paw and nodded to the she-cat. "She's Mistpaw and I'm Stonepaw."

"Our brother, Patchpaw, is going to be the next medicine cat," Mistpaw pointed to an apprentice with Stonepaw's coloring sitting with the other medicine cats. The young cat was nodding at something Sootpaw was telling him.

"Sootpaw over there is going to be a medicine cat, too," he nudged towards his brother before making them look towards Deerpaw. "And my sister Deerpaw is over there."

"So who is your mentor?" Mistpaw asked.

Spiderpaw frowned as he answered, "Bumblestar stuck me with Sweetfang. I don't really like her that much so far."

"I got Cloudfur. She's that white she-cat over there," Stonepaw continued. "I like my mentor. She's nice and patient with me, even if I make mistakes."

"I have Nightfang," Mistpaw nodded, "He's that black tom sitting next to my mother, Honeyfang. He isn't the softest cat, but I think he'll do. I just want someone who know what they are doing. But I trust in my Clanmates."

"My mother didn't come tonight," Spiderpaw snuck a peak at their mentors, the ShadowClan cats looking at their leaders, not bothering to speak to any other cat.

"That's a bummer," Mistpaw gave him a look of pity. "I'm glad my mother is here, it makes me feel a little bit better and not too crowded."

"The leaders are starting," a ginger tom twisted around to hiss at them.

"Sorry, Tigertooth," Stonepaw ducked his ears at the older warrior's commands. "We'll stop talking."

"You do that, Stonepaw."

"He's my father," Mistpaw whispered into his ear, her warm breath making him tingle a little as she leaned in close. She had such a calming smell, almost like honey.

Foxstar was the first to speak, the ginger she-cat's voice full of pride as she announced her news, "ShadowClan is thriving in this greenleaf. Featherfoot has become a queen and we have three new apprentices. Stonepaw, Mistpaw, and Patchpaw."

"Stonepaw! Mistpaw! Patchpaw!"

As the Clans cheered on the new apprentices, WindClan's leader, Oakstar took Foxstar's place, his brown fur smooth as he spoke up with words of his own.

"We are also doing well in this nice weather. Petalfall has received her medicine cat name and Daisytail has two healthy kits."

Spiderpaw glanced around while the Clan applauded the new queen, and noticed Honeyfang glaring at her, giving a death stare at the brown tabby clinging to her side. What was Mistpaw's mother upset about? Was there trouble over their borders as well?

He had been distracted and didn't notice the rest of WindClan's announcements as Otterstar struted forwards, giving Bumblestar a glare of her own.

"Besides a certain Clan pushing on our borders, we have also been successful in our hunts. I'm sad to annouce the death of our medicine cat, Ivyfoot. He hunts in StarClan now. Fernleaf has taken his place."

The RiverClan medicine cat was a black tom with a gray chest. He had his head down in sadness, Thornberry's tail on his shoulder. Despite their Clan's arguing, the medicine cats almost never faught with each other. It was like a bond. One he'd never be apart of. At least his brother would be safe.

Bumblestar made his way to the front, shooting a malicious look at Otterstar as he shared their news as well. He could see the tension as neither leader back down from the other.

"This has been a plentiful greenleaf for ThunderClan. And as our land thrives, so does our cats. Deerpaw, Spiderpaw, and Sootpaw are now apprentices and Yellowflower has joined the nursery."

"Deerpaw! Spiderpaw! Sootpaw!"

Spiderpaw felt a flash of confidence as the others cheered him and his siblings on. The RiverClan cats were a lot less entusiastic, but it didn't matter. He would prove himself to be better than most of these cats. He planned on being leader one day. They'd be cheering his new name.

 _Spiderstar! Spiderstar!_


End file.
